October 24, 2012 4:36 PM

1 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon junior running back Jack Hatt III (11) escapes a tackle from a Columbia Central defender during the 2012 season opener Aug. 24. Napoleon lost 28-6 to their rival. The two schools are under seven miles apart and play for a rivalry jug every season. Columbia Central has kept the jug since 2008. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

2 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayAssistant coach Todd Anderson, center, talks with junior lineman Robby Peterson (60) before the team loads the bus for their week two game against Manchester. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

3 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayJunior wide receiver Dustin Chaffin, center, and teammates get their shoulder pads and jerseys near the visitor bleachers before their week two game at Manchester. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

4 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon offensive players walk off the field after quarterback Trevor Walker's throw was intercepted by Manchester and returned for a touchdown during the Pirates' 38-6 loss in week two of the season. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

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5 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayJunior defensive end Ridge Bollheimer pulls his helmet off before grabbing a drink of water after Napoleon gave up a quick touchdown in the second quarter of their 38-6 loss to Manchester in week two of the season. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

6 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior wide receiver Jake Johnson (1) celebrates with junior running back Blake Jackson (20) after Jackson had a long run in the fourth quarter of their week two game at Manchester. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

7 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayHead coach Scott Ashe talks with the team behind a set of baseball bleachers before their week four game against Grass Lake. Ashe, who serves as the school's co-principal and athletic director, stepped into the coaching position over the summer after former coach Mike Sparks left to take an assistant coaching position at Olivet College. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

8 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayJunior wide receiver Tyler Kryst high fives a fan while walking back to the school with teammates after a 45-7 loss to Grass Lake in week four. Before every home game, the team will walk in twos over a quarter-mile to the football field. After the game, the team walks back in groups as they filter out of the stadium. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

9 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon head coach Scott Ashe leads the team in a breakdown after a week six 40-20 loss to Addison. Both teams entered Addison's homecoming game with a winless record. Addison finished their season 2-7 with an additional 22-14 win over East Jackson in week eight. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

10 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior quarterback Trevor Walker (16) makes a joke about a teammate before their 47-14 homecoming loss to Vandercook Lake in week eight. Like most quarterbacks, Walker's position made him leader of the team and when he spoke, whether joking with teammates, or to motivate them before a game, his teammates listened. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

11 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon junior wide receiver Colton Brennan (4) is tackled in the end zone, causing him to drop a hail mary pass from senior quarterback Trevor Walker as time expired for halftime during their homecoming game against Vandercook Lake. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

12 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior wide receiver Jon Ojeda (27) takes a moment to himself during halftime of Napoleon's homecoming game against Vandercook Lake. The game was also the last home game for Ojeda and 10 other seniors on the team. They dropped to 0-8 on the season after a 47-14 loss. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

13 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon junior center Robby Peterson (60) talks to senior quarterback Trevor Walker (16) and other teammates before heading to the field during halftime of their homecoming 47-14 loss in week eight against Vandercook Lake. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

14 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior lineman Collin Peace (71) talks with the 10 other seniors after their 47-14 homecoming loss to Vandercook Lake in week eight. After the losses started mounting up, Peace and other seniors started to focus on winning a game for head coach Scott Ashe. "I've known him almost my whole life and he's been a big part of my high school career," Peace said after the season. "In football, in school, he's been a big part of us all." (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

15 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon junior wide receiver and defensive back Tyler Kryst (21) gets dressed before an hourlong bus ride heading to Olivet College for the final game of the season against Springport. When first planned, the game had playoff intentions. Now, Napoleon is trying to salvage a winless season and has been focusing all week to try and ruin a playoff berth for Springport, who enters the game with a 5-3 record and needs a win to secure a ticket to the postseason. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

16 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon junior defensive back Jeremy Lester listens to music while teammates near him try to catch a quick nap during the hourlong bus ride to Olivet College, Friday Oct. 19. The team gave up a home game to play Springport in week nine of the season at the college where former head coach Mike Sparks now the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Sparks left his position at Napoleon mid-way through the summer for Olivet College. Co-Principal and Athletic Director Scott Ashe stepped into the position. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

17 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior wide receiver Jake Johnson (1) and other players watch as Springport unloads their bus before the two teams clashed at Olivet College in the last game of the season. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

18 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior linebacker Tate Vogt (2) is helped off the field by head coach Scott Ashe after injuring his ankle in the fourth quarter of Napoleon's 23-13 loss to Springport. Vogt suffered a high ankle sprain in week three against East Jackson. The injury caused him to miss four games until coming back in week eight to see some playing time against Vandercook Lake. During those four games, Vogt still attended practice and every game with the team. "There is no one else I'd rather play linebacker with than Tate Vogt," junior linebacker Tucker Dillon said after the season. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

19 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon junior Robby Peterson (60) and Jon Ojeda (27) talk on the sidelines during a defensive series in the first half of their week nine game against Springport. Down 14-0 at that point, Napoleon soon scored their first points of the game, but went into the locker room at halftime down 21-7. They went on to score in the fourth quarter to make it 21-13, but later gave up a safety to lose, 23-14. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

20 of 20Link to this photo | Comments about this photo essayNapoleon senior wide receiver and defensive back Hunter Richey turns in his uniform after a 23-13 loss to Springport at Olivet College. The loss gave Napoleon their first winless season since 1972 when the Pirates went 0-8. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)